Federal Minister Planning, Development & Reform Ahsan Iqbal today said that early harvest projects of China-Pak Economic Corridor will be completed by December 2017 and bring transformational change by solving the problems of energy and infrastructure sector.
CPEC is not a bilateral project between Pakistan and China relations but will serve as a fate changer not only for this region but for other regions and world including Middle East, Europe and Western countries. He was speaking at Interactive Session with Civil Society on “China-Pak Economic Corridor, Opportunities, Challenges and Strategic Significance”, organized by Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform.
He said that CPEC demonstrates the all-weather and time tested friendship between China and Pakistan. It translated has strategic bilateral political relations into strategic economic partnership based on win-win paradigm.
He stated, “CPEC will help overcome the energy crisis, increasing power generation capacity and fulfilling the electricity needs of the country. Similarly, the government was taken projects for upgrading the transmission and distribution system. Chinese assistance will also help to construct LNG pipeline to supply gas to power stations. He said that Thar that is known for drought would emerge energy capital of the country that would ultimately provide diverse opportunities of employment and growth in the backward areas of interior Sindh.
Apart from focusing on energy and infrastructure, CPEC will also improve the quality of life through social and economic interventions.
It also seeks to establish special economic zones, which will tremendous trade and economic opportunities, he added.
Ahsan Iqbal said that development of Gawadar port & airport and construction of eastern, western and central alignments would connect all the provinces and regions of the country and would turn the country into manufacturing
